Strong Workforce Program

Sector

While target industry sectors are not specified, guiding principles state that the initiative shall ensure its CTE and workforce development courses, programs and pathway offerings respond to the needs of employers, workers, civic leaders, and students. Needs are identified by collaborating with regional civic representatives, the labor community, and economic development and industry leaders.

Community college districts receive funds for projects and programs that meet local and regional economic needs as identified in WIOA regional plans.

Design

The initiative defines “career pathways” as an identified series of positions, work experiences, or educational benchmarks or credentials that offer occupational and financial advancement within a specified career field(s) over time.

Partnership

This initiative aligns with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requirements and expands existing CTE regional consortia infrastructure.

The consortia collaborate with public institutions including local education agencies, adult education consortia, local workforce development boards, and interested California State Universities and Universities of California.

Community college districts and other participating entities within a regional collaborative are encouraged to develop long-term partnerships with private sector employers and labor partners. These partnerships provide coordinated CTE courses, programs, and pathways, with employers involved in planning, development, and assessment. 

Employer partnerships should also build upon regional partnerships formed by WIOA, existing infrastructure established by CCCCO, and other state and federal programs.

Pathways should also be inclusively designed. To support this, partnerships are encouraged with public and private organizations that offer workforce development programs and pathways for young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Delivery

CTE faculty work with advisory committees comprised of community, business, and industry leaders to ensure that programs are responsive to labor market needs, and that students who complete the programs will gain the required skills and knowledge to obtain employment.

To support the initiative, the CCCCO could develop implementation policies, regulations, and guidance around key issues including improving sector-based engagement and partnership with regional employers to provide work-based learning opportunities that increase individual’s employability and earning opportunities.

Supports

Element is not present in this initiative.

Measurement

Performance accountability measures should align with those of the WIOA to the extent possible. All metrics are available in the in the statewide CTE LaunchBoard data system, disaggregated by race, gender, and age:

• Enrollments—the number of registrations in courses**
• Skills gains—course success rate for credit courses*
• Completion—unique individuals who completed a credit or noncredit local certificate, credit or noncredit CCCCO-approved certificate, associate degree, applied bachelor’s degree, or third-party credential*
• Transfer—unique individuals who transferred to a four-year institution
• Employment rates—employment rate for exiting students at two and four fiscal quarters after leaving the community college system, with disaggregated data provided on outcomes for completers and skills-builders (based on a match to the state unemployment insurance wage file)*
• Employment in field of study—the proportion of students who reported that their current job is close or very close to their field of study, with disaggregated data provided on outcomes for completers and skills-builders (based on responses in the CTE Outcomes Survey) July 27, 2016
• Earnings—earnings for exiting students at two fiscal quarters after leaving the community college system, with disaggregated data provided on outcomes for completers and skills-builders (based on a match to the state unemployment insurance wage file)*
• Median change in earnings—percentage change in earnings for exiting students, one year before and one year after exiting the California community college system, with disaggregated data provided on outcomes for completers and skills-builders (based on a match to the state unemployment insurance wage file)**
• Proportion of students who attained living wages—earnings among exiting completer and skills-builder students, compared to the Living Insights Center data for a single individual in the college’s Doing What Matters region

Outcome measures include demographic data to the extent possible, allowing policymakers and the general public to evaluate progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion, and earnings of underserved demographic groups. Recommendations for future allocations to consortiums should be based upon program outcomes including, at minimum, the number of certificates granted to and wage increases of students who have completed a CTE program.  

^{* WIOA metrics 
** Additional metrics flagged in the legislation}

A Strong Workforce Program Incentive Funding Model is based on incentive points for attainment of metrics:

• 0.025 point for each course registration
• 1 point for each student achieving a transfer, employment, and earning metric
• 1 point for certificate attainment (local credit certification less than 18 units; Chancellor’s Office approved certificate of 12-18 units; noncredit less than 288 hours)
• 2 points for credit certificate of 18-20 units or noncredit of at least 288 hours
• 3 points for credit certificate of 30+ hours or a degree
• 0.5 point for progress metrics 
• 1 point for each dollar earned in media 2nd quarter earnings

Points calculated by percentage of students reporting employment in their field multiplied by number of students sent survey. Economically disadvantaged students have a multiplier effect of 1.5 on most metrics, and receive an additional .25 points for attaining 12 credits.